Ruminate on that dreadful, annoying death of Sylvester Oromoni of Dowen College, Lagos right before his parents. The budding boy was bullied to infinity by his fellow students and he died as he was about stepping into the age of 13. Imagine the gripping horror of discovering eight young children who went missing from a school in Badagry, Lagos. The eight were found locked in a vehicle, all dead and cold, allegedly by asphyxiation. Picture the immediate feeling of that moment the parents of Demilade Fadare sighted her butchered body at their neighbour’s in Adehun, Ado Ekiti. The seven-year-old Demilade had gone in search of food but ended up being eaten by death. Then think of the ugly, distressing sight of a truck pursued by ‘government authorities’ that ran into and over students of Ojodu Grammar School in Lagos…
Also during the week, free-reigning terrorists we euphemise as bandits turned tens of migrating people into some sort of game. The initial reports of the incident said the criminals watched gleefully as about 40 people, said to be travelling to Kaduna enroute southern Nigeria, burn to their gruesome death at Teke village in Gidan Bawa district of Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State. However, government, in reaction, explained that contrary to speculations that over 40 people lost their lives in a bandits’ attack on a 42-seater bus, “only 23 people lost their lives.” That was the assuaging reaction by the authorities in Sokoto State. They also announced that measures had been put in place in collaboration with security agencies to ensure that this kind of evil did not happen again.
The number of people that were killed in that single incident is just mind-boggling. Then the manner of their killing is another unthinkable horror, a source of worry, sadness and concern! The bandits shot at the vehicle the people were travelling in and when it caught fire, they prevented the travellers from seeking safety. Humans with blood flowing in their veins did that and watched as 23 people burned and agonised to their death! And these people are still being referred to as bandits? The government had waited for years and the courts before it could pronounce these heartless devils what they truly are.
These so-called bandits terrorising the northern parts of the country do so many things our so-called Nigerian ‘terrorists’ can’t dare. Compare the criminal and deadly activities of the ‘bandits’ in northern Nigeria and what the ‘terrorists’ in southern Nigeria have been accused of. Think of what brought about the likes of Sunday Igboho, and how Nnamdi Kanu became an issue. But our bandits strip government of its authority in parts of the North. These bandits seize government at districts and local governments. They impose taxes on anything imaginable and ride the people roughshod. They viciously milk and violently rape the communities. They kidnap with vicious impunity and demand ransom as it suits their whims. These upsetting, disconcerting and equally avoidable incidents have tainted the early days of December 2021.
These deaths should have thrown the country into mourning by now. Particularly, the loss of those our children should evoke some emotions that could help in arresting these evil. But here, we speak sorrow tears and blood, apologies to Fela Anikulapo Kuti. These deaths are simply outrageous, but mother Nigeria’s eyes have sunk very deep in their sockets; she can no longer muster tears easily nor can she descend into pity for its beleaguered and butchered children. She has cried so much from each episode of violence when she looks up North and down South. Each cycle of heartrending episodes are greeted by pithy exclamations from the government and from here and there. Then she awaits the next news of gruesome tragedy; and the cycle continues. If this were not so, then our ogas at the top should take steps to actually do something about the daily avoidable deaths in the country.
There is fear among our children today. They ask questions when they hear the news on the radio and watch the television. The parents are left to provide the answers and convince the young, impressionable hearts that there is more to this country that daily report of violence against children, rape and killing. Every day, people hanker for justice and security. They desire these so that they can go out and fend for themselves and their frightened children. Our tomorrow is in danger but we seem to be unaware. We are, understandably, up and about in search of what to feed the children and are overlooking the danger.
“The most dangerous places for children aren’t where you think” says World Vision in a recent report. The report entitled “Fearing Wrong” noted that “violence against children is the most pervasive, dangerous, silent horror of our time.” The report lead, Dr. Kirsty Nowlan, director of public policy for World Vision International, says “it is shrouded in misunderstandings and misperceptions, and it’s holding back progress on this issue.” It says the survey of 11,331 people aged 16 and over in 28 countries found that 61 per cent of people thinks that violence is “out there” — public transportation and other public places — is where children are most likely to be at risk. “Tragically, this is wrong. The most dangerous place for too many children around the world is their own home, where they should be safest,” says Dr. Nowlan.
Thus, to avoid a repeat of Sylvester Oromoni, we must look inwards. To avoid the death of eight children in one fell swoop, we must collectively change our society – as government and as a people. To prevent a repeat of Ojodu, the government must do things differently. We must look at ourselves and how we are impacting our children. But what about that Ekiti child sent on an errand? What about the orphaned and abandoned children in parts of the North? What about this and that? We rely on the Divine. However, as humans, we should work for a way out, beginning with sincere leadership.
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